Undergarment



Dec. '7, 1948. H. v. OLDHAM 2,455,504

UNDERGARMENT Filed Feb. 4,-1947. 2 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 7, 194s. "H. Mmmm UNDERGARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledFeb. 4,1947

` terial` aid in safeguarding"thevhealthglandenstruction thatcanfbeeasily applied lto the underi garment, that presentsnoraw edges toi cause 'dis- "suit, lending 1 it balance in weight and "iaiinished Patented Dec. 7,1948 i A l l Henrywirg Windham McEwen-ts; y.

y This" invention relateeijto"improvements in* ,he

dergarmentsand `more especizallly` `unionsuit/"s. Underclothing of a weight that will insu-rec9r`n fort `for other parts of the body is notlsufficient for thelspine, `which because of its location close `5 tothe surface of thebody isunduly `exposed l to colldin winter and toatrnospherc 1heatand `hot raysof `the sun in summer." *A serious objection to1 :the conventional forin ounionsuit is :that because offthe excessivejweight "of rthe garinent rei lo quired for protectionaganst the cold, the wearer is uncomfortable in 5tire `warrnth offtheihonie after being Afoifa" periodj outdoorsg` The present invention comprehends anuncier garment havingincorporated" therewith" a Padi-for l protectingY the spine against cold in winter `"and hot raysof the sun infsummerythe padlbeing relatively narrow of av size to extend Well overr the `spine threughout'tne fon length thereof, and of a thickness to afford theadditionalprotection `re` quired tharefor"` `so thatthe undergarment lrrlay Worn to `suit the tseason's temperature conditions, providing for the comfortof `*the wearer in the houseas wella's outdoors, serving as ai Ina-V tirely overcoming th objection `hereinberore' l referred to regarding the conventional" torni]` of heavy weightunionsuit required for winter wear.

tective` `padding provided; fvormedffrom a continuous piece of fabricandhavng at opposite sides `of its longitudinal niedialliriela plurality of lon- 1gitudinal folds forming cuter,` intermediate "and 35characte`r"referred tothat will `present alneat inner-layers off fabric extending from1its``side edges to the mediall line lof thewoadi- This particular constructionaii'ordsi ari'eiiici'ent, `satisfactory protecting pad of simple, inexpensivefconcomfort and' which lserves to stabilize the `unionthe ready launderingof the garment.` l

Another important novel characteristic ofthe invention lies in the "particular construction lof pad referred "to and* the `connection of thesame to the `garment 'which `provides I or relative i movement between the layers `of "'fabric `and ballooning l 5o action thereofso thatthere'is plenty `of iiexibllity 1 and'e'ive` tofthe back *of thegarrnent preventing the neekbandf of the `garment from teineffrdis- `agreeablytightened,andltliejfdrawerlegs'Working up whenl `the"Weareribends*overtlthe"particular 55 `scalefontheline 3l`-3"o"f'Figif1"; t

11947, serial No. maarre fconstrnction""providing` a garment having incorporated therewith an eiiicient` protecting lpad i fortliespinethat will allot/perfect ifreedom" of movement by the wearen and will be comfortable end satisfactory in'use, y' An objeot "oflethe invention isfto provide" an lijrnprovedf unionsuithaving protecting lpadffor theA spinal 'column of `sinipleg"iinexpensive construction that caribeeasilyI applied tojunion` garrnents `of conventional fiorm and that will` be efficientiinfuse; i f "Another "object "of "the l invention is 'to provide an improved unionsuit providedl with `a protective pad for the` spine having aplurality oflayers` lof 5 fabric so `formed and connectedfto the `back of the unonsuit as to provide for relative movenient* between the layers of fabric" and ballooning action ofthe saine whereby whileithe pad is coinposed ofl several layers; the learner 'will be resilient 2o in usavano there worte ampie give inrthe back of thgarmentso that the neckband of `the garment-wvill` not bedrawn uncomfortably tight and Hthe `legsof the `garment will `not Work up when.` the *wearer bends over, the `construction providingfor domof movement by the wearer.A v

Another object of the inventionistopro-vide an Iirnproved garinenthaving a spine protectivepad 25 a comfortable satisfactory iii;` allowingA full free- "offithecharacterreferred to,` which willnot pre- A particular importanthovel feature of th`e` in`- 30` `vention resides in the special construction "ofprofinished appearance and which willl not interfere with" thereadylaundering'of the garment;

" "}\Theinvention,` with other objects and advantages thereof *and the particular construction,

4o conibinatiodarid arrangementlof parts comprising the same will be understood `from the hereinjaftercontained detaildescription when consideredrinlconnection with the accompanying drawjings forming `part hereoi and illustrating one em- *Filgl isfa fron-t eleva 'on ofavluni'onsuitprovided with Va spine :protecting pad finwaocordance kwitintlile invention,"parts of the garinent being shownbroken away; andthe iront open to expose theprotective pad;`" lr" Y l" il Fig. 2i's `a plan view "of the blank from which" the lrpadisi""constrcted.; `-"ililggj-li law-transverse section; `on` `ain enlarged ls relatively long and narrow and is applied to the inner face of the back I of the garment inter-` mediate the width thereof, the pad extending longitudinally and being of a size to fully cover the spinal column. The pad comprisesv a strip.

of fabric provided at opposite sides of its medial line with a plurality of longitudinal folds forming an outer layer 2, an intermediate layer 3 and an inner layer 4 extending from its side edges tothe medial line of the pad, the pad being constructed from a continuous piece of fabric. The blank b, shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, from which' the pad is formed, is folded inwardly along the lines c, d, e and f to the form shownvin Fig. 5. The intermediate layers 3 and innerlayers 4 `of the pad are connected with each other along their inner marginal portions I2 and I3 by a row of stitching 5. Another row of stitching I4 runs from front to rear through the pad along the longitudinal medial line thereof into the. layers back of the outer layers 2. The pad is applied to the garment with the innermost layers 4 disposedy vnext to the inner face of the back I of the garment. The inner layers 4 of the pad are connected at their outer side marginal portionslto the back of the undergarment by-longitudinal lines `of stitching 6 and 1, the intermediate and outer layers being left free from connection to the garment at their inner marginal portions and free at their outer side marginal portionsv from the outer side marginal portions of the innermost layers 4, this arrangement providing for relative lateral play between the layers and for free flexing of the pad so as to allow for perfect freedom of movement of the wearer when stoop- 4 wearer in the home as well as outdoors, and being a material aid in preventing such ailments as lumbago, pneumonia, colds and heat prostrations attributable to undue exposure of the spine, the padding also serving to protect th'e spine against undue pressure and shock due to contact with unyielding objects.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings, it will be under- "stoodthat minor changes and modifications may be made in the particular construction shown, and the invention may be embodied in other Iforms as will appeal to those skilled in the art y and falling within th'e scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. `Instead of attaching the protective lpad tothe garment, as shown in the drawings,

with'the layers 4 disposed next to the inner face of the back of the garment, the pad may be applied to the garment with' its reverse side dis- .posed next tothe inner face yof the garment.

The stripforming the pad is in effect a modified boxpleat construction.

. I claim:` v I A protective padfor the spine adapted to be from its side edges to the medial line of the pad. A protective pad for the spine adapted to be applied to the inner facegofthe back of an undergarment intermediate thev width thereof `and to .extend longitudinally thereof to cover the spinal column, said pad comprising a strip of fabric provided at opposite sides of its longitudinal medial line with a plurality of longitudinal folds,

the strip being first folded inwardly and said folded portions then folded outwardly, forming vthree layers of fabric extending Afrom itsv side edges to the medial line of the'pad, the intering over, and the flexibility of the pad permitting the same to conform to the contours of the back of th'ewearer.

The several layers of the pad are secured alon their upper marginal edge portionsto the garment at the neck portion thereof by stitching 3, and the intermediate and outer layers are connected along their lower marginal portions by stitching I0 and II. I y Y,

The undergarment A and pad B may be constructed of any suitable material such as cotton or wool, the character and weight of material selected for th'e garment and pad depending upon the season of the year. i By the particular construction and arrangement of parts hereinbefore set forth, a pad of simple, inexpensiveconstruction is provided that can be easily applied to the conventional Vform of-` unionsuit, that will permit relative play and ballooning action of the layers so that theback ture conditions, providing for the comfort of the:V

mediate and the layers formed by the lastfolds `being connected. with each other along their .Y inner marginal edge portions. i i 3. An undergarment provided with a protective Dad for the spine appliedito the inner face of the back of; the garment intermediate Vthe width thereof and extending longitudinally thereof to cover the spinal column, said pad comprising a :strip of fabricfprovided at opposite sides of its y longitudinal medial line with a plurality of longitudinalfolds forming outer, intermediate and inner layers of fabric extending from its side edgesto the medial line `of thepad, the intermediate and inner layers being connected with each other along their innermarginal edge portions, the pad being arrangedfwith its innermost --layersr disposed next to the inner face of the gar- A.ment, land the innermostlayers being -secured falong .their outer'marlginal-edge portions to the ngarment, said layers of material throughoutthe length thereof below their upper edges being entirely fr ee from connection with the back of the :garment except for said connection of the inneri most layers along their outerrmarginal portions.

. 4. An undergarment-provided with a protective pad for Y' the spine appliedto theinner face of the-*back `of' the garment lintermediate the width thereofwand extending longitudinally thereof to covervthe spinal column, said pad comprising a `strip of fabricA provided bat oppositefsides of its longitudinal medial line with a plurality of lonportions, the pad being arranged with its innerv most layers disposed next tothe inner face of the garment, and the innermost layers being secured along their outer marginal edge `portions to the garment, said layers of material throughumn, said pad comprising a strip of fabric proout the length thereof `below their upper edges vided at opposite sides of its longitudinal medial being entirely free from connection with the back line with a plurality of longitudinal folds, the strip of the garment except `for said connection of the `being rst folded inwardly and said folded porinnermost layers along their outer marginal DOrtions then folded outwardly,` forming three 1aynous ers of fabric extending from the side edges of 5. An undergarment comprising shirt and the pad to the medial line thereof, the severalA drawers combined provided with a protective pad layers being connected with each other along for the spine applied to the inner face of the theirinrlel marginal Edge DOItiOnS.

back of the garment intermediate the width there- HENRY VIRGIL OLDHAM.

of and extendinglongitudinally thereof to cover l the spinal column, said pad comprising a strip REFERENCES CITED 0f fabric PIOVded at ODPOSB Sides 0f its long- The following references are of record in the tudinal medial line with av plurality of longitu` me of this patent;

dinal folds forming outer, intermediate and inl ner layers of fabric extending from its side edges A UNITED STATES PATENTS to the medial line of the pad, the outer, interme- Number Name Date diate and inner layers being connected With each 1,751,355 Oldham Mar, 13, 1930 other along their inner marginal edge portions,

the pad being arranged with its innermost lay- FOREIGA PATENTS ers disposed next to the inner face of `the gar- 3@ Number COuntry Date ment, and the innermost layers being secured 105,122 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1917 along their outer marginal edge portions to the l garment, said layers `of material throughout the length thereof below their upper edges being entirely free from connection with the back of the `garment except for said connection of the innermost layers along their outer marginal portions. 6. A protective pad for the spine adapted to be applied to the inner face of the back of the garment intermediate the width thereof and extending longitudinally thereof to cover the spinal co1- 

